This means I have to lose 4.848lbs of body fat and put on the same weight in muscle mass. To achieve the fat loss, I have to reduce the number of calories I consume daily through my diet and a workout routine/weight training/resistance training.

Take note: if you have bulked up and have made some gains in muscle mass in the gym, you cannot use your daily calorie needs the first time you calculated it when you have not bulked up/gained muscle mass.

I used to eat horribly and not work out and weighed 180. Started a 5 day routine. I lost 30 lbs. Even when I was 180, I was still skinny (minus a larger midsection). Working out I’ve gained little muscle/strength. I think I’m only able to do pullups now because of the lost weight, not muscle gain.

I was using compound exercises, then switched to isolation. The only fat I have left is hiding my abs (I know they’re there). Should I go back to a full body routine or is dedicated muscle group days going to work. I want bigger arms/legs. My chest is slowly coming along. I want to shed the last of my belly.

Which is your focus? Losing the fats on your belly or getting bigger arms/legs? Both goals are counterproductive so it’s better to focus on one first.

It’s better and much more balanced to do both compound and isolation exercises. Definitely incorporate compound exercises though. If you’ve already been training for 5 months alr, there isn’t a need to go back to a full body routine.

Well this looks nice, but i have a question. Is there other ways for gaining that lean and ripped body, without using weights? Well could i achieve this by going mostly on push-ups sit-ups and stuff like that
.

I’m 6’2″, 167 lbs, and 37 years old. I’ve been working (weights/cardio) out 6 days a week for about 15 months now (excluding a few 2 week breaks every 5 months).

I’ve been eating more and smaller meals, drinking water, and watching what I eat. But I absolutely cannot get below 15% bodyfat. I have a noticeable amount of bellyfat still. The rest of my body looks much better than when I started, but the bellyfat just won’t go.

You mean by the Skinny Guys (who do not wish to bulk up) is that they are skinny but they only want to be lean without bulking up? I don’t really quite get it.. LOL.. But as for me, I weigh 143 lbs but still skinny.. How will I manage to get a model type body (with the 6 pack abs) but not adding weight on my body? Is that possible? :)

To get a model type body without adding weight is technically impossible but still possible haha. What I mean is that you can only a lean and toned body with muscles. And to get muscles you must gain weight, since you are still skinny.

It is possible not to “gain weight” if you manage to lose the extra weight you have gained after gaining those muscles. So you will be back to your original weight but with a toned look now.

To be honest I know most of this stuff, how eating every so many hours to keep metabolism up and not cut into muscle growth. Or how compounds are the best exercises for ectomorphs. I gained my weight but not as cut as I’d liked to be, as your article pointed out which draw my attention to it. I’ve been lifting for the last 5 years now, and I’m at a stand still, I’m losing my interesting in going to the gym, but the concerns I want addressed is this.

One, is their a up and down cycle? I’ have yet to see anybody fully go into detail over this subject, its we’ll start you out but you gotta figure everything else out. I know after a period of time the body adapts and no longer benefits from the workout, which causes plateauing, but would a down cycle affect the process? How long should both cycles be?

Two, what exercises should they be, of course the bigs, bench press, squat, deadlift and so on.What about the in between ones? Should I focus on exercises that help to improve the main lifts or just complement the body part as a whole? You can see my confusion and this has been accumulated from years of wondering the web and just experimenting, but if you can unravel this mystery for me I’d be most appreciated….

Hi Kyle, I don’t really understand by what you mean as up and down cycle? Since you have already lifted for the last 5 years, I assume you have a decent amount of muscles already. So right now your focus should be more adjusting your diet and incorporating more cardio and circuit training into your workouts to get lean and ripped.